We started the day with a quick tram ride around the town. We picked it up near the beach and for 6EUR we got a bumpy, though enjoyable, 45-minute ride through much of the town.

In the afternoon, we wanted to visit the imposing fortress that you can see in many of our photos. There are actually three ways to go to the top: via a trolley, via the path that the trolley takes, and via the inside passage that climbs from the town through the old city. We decided to ride up, and walk the trolley path down.

“Vila Vella enceinte” is the only example of a fortified medieval town still standing on the Catalan coast. It was constructed from 1187 through to the 13th century. It still has the entire original perimeter with battlemented stone walls, four turrets, and three cylindrical towers with parapets. At the highest point, where the lighthouse stands today, is about 200 ft above sea level. The site was declared a national historic monument in 1931.

The views from the top were stunning! There’s a small cafe and restrooms near the lighthouse. All along the trolley path there are vantage points and benches to take in the sights. It took us about 30 minutes to walk down and it was very enjoyable.

Interestingly, there is a statue of American actress Ava Gardner within the fortress. In 1951, Gardner filmed Pandora and the Flying Dutchman in Tossa, and is credited for putting the town on the map. It is said that Gardner was having a romantic affair with spanish bull fighter Mario Cabre, when Frank Sinatra, in a rage of jealousy, flew to Tossa to be with her while she was filming. They each divorced their current spouses and were married later that year. Despite all the drama, it seems she fell in love with Tossa and Tossa fell in love with her, erecting the bronze statue in 1998.

In the evening we had a nice dinner in the neighborhood, hoping to get to bed at a decent time as we are going up the coast by boat in the morning.

Tomorrow: Costa Brava